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RD: The Last Day
Overview Lister receives a pre-recorded message from Jim Reaper, head of Diva-Droid international, the company that created Kryten. Kryten is ordered to be dismantled within 24 hours and is to be replaced by Hudzen-10, a super-strong android, who has been tracking Kryten for thousands of years and is now on an intercept course with Red Dwarf. The crew decide to throw Kryten a leaving party, and give him one last night to remember. Summary A message pod reaches Red Dwarf from Diva-Droid International, manufacturers of Kryten and the 4000 series of mechanoids. It announces that Kryten's built-in expiry date is almost up and his in-built shut-down chip will automatically activate in twenty-four hours time. Kryten resigns himself to his fate, telling Lister he's going to get his reward in "Silicon Heaven". Lister tries to tell him there's no such place, but to no avail. Lister is determined Kryten's going to enjoy his last day in a profitless and non-practical way. He even goes to the trouble of building the robotic Marilyn Monroe kit that's been hanging around the ship for years, whilst Holly knocks up a special android home brew using Vimto and liquid nitrogen. Waking the next morning with a hangover, Kryten realises that he had experienced true pleasure for the first time and decides that he'd much rather delay his departure. He can override his shutdown programme, but the catch is that his replacement mechanoid comes fitted with instructions to kill its predecessor if necessary. But Lister, Rimmer and Cat won't let him on board. They're going to stand by their shipmate. The replacement mechanoid Hudzen's ship lands on the landing gantry, and the crew prepare for his appearance. Lister tells Hudzen that Kryten is staying put and that he should leave. Hudzen refuses to go away and advances down the corridor proving to be dangerously insane as he tries to kill everyone. Just as Hudzen is finally upon Kryten and about to deliver a killing blow, he is told by Kryten that silicon heaven doesn't exist. Hudzen's mind can't cope with this revelation and shuts down. Lister quizzes Kryten about why Hudzen's mind (a later model) can't cope with this revelation, whilst Kryten's can. Kryten replies that he lied. Notes *Kryten has no trouble lying to Hudzen about Silicon Heaven, but he has to be coaxed by Lister in the next episode to be able to lie to his fellow ship mates. *The episode was originally broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 19 December 1989 in the 9:00pm evening time slot. Although the episode gained a decent amount of viewers, the episode has been considered to be the weakest from Series III. However, it has been described as "terrific performances all around and one brilliant set piece after another" by 'Reviews by Gavrielle'. *This episode was one of the episodes remastered in the mid-1990s. Several changes were made, such as the opening shot of the post pod approaching Red Dwarf being replaced with a CGI sequence. Hudzen's ship approaching Red Dwarf has also been replaced with a CGI version. Noteworthy Dialogue Interesting, funny or relevant dialogue in the episode. Background Information Gordon Kennedy almost didn't appear in Red Dwarf as the character of Hudzen 10 was actually a last-minute addition to the script. Robert Llewellyn makes a brief, unmasked, appearance as Jim Reaper, the Diva-Droid executive and Julie Higginson] plays the Marilyn Monroe kit android. Guest Stars *Gordon Kennedy as Hudzen-10. *Julie Higginson] as the Marilyn Monroe kit android. References Other articles of things featured in this particular episode Category:Episodes Category:Series III Episodes